Residential school survivor on a Walk of Sorrow to Ottawa
It was through prayers and tears that residential school survivor Patricia Ballantyne walked along the road heading for Ottawa after hearing of the grim discovery of 751 unmarked graves at a former Saskatchewan residential school.
The Walk of Sorrow started on June 5 at the site of the former Prince Albert Indian Residential School. Ballantyne had been a student at the school from 1978 to 1987.
She started the walk after the remains of 215 First Nations children were found buried at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C.
Ballantyne said the walk is a way to heal following the discovery.
"Since we started walking, we've had such a tremendous amount of welcoming in the communities and our spirits have been renewed," she said.
Nearly three weeks after her walk started, another horrific discovery was made.
The Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan found an estimated 751 unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School.
"We all cried together," Ballantyne told CTV News. "The number was shocking, so we cried together that night and prayed, and along the way yesterday we just prayed and walked and kept thinking about our ancestors and how many generations we lost."
Ballantyne said the discovery gave them a new push to keep walking. Along the way, Ballentyne said there have been opportunities to teach her daughter, niece and nephew, who have all joined her on the walk.
"It is going to be something that they'll never forget and they are going to be teaching their children," she said.
"They are learning too what their parents went through, and why the lives were so hard for First Nations people."
Ballantyne, who was in Winnipeg with supporters on Friday, said she expects to be in Ontario within the week and hopes to reach Ottawa by the end of July.
She said she expects more people to join the Walk of Sorrow as it continues.
A national crisis line for residential school survivors is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-866-925-4419.
Other resources for survivors of residential schools can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.